Category Archives: me doing it

First they came for the desks, and nobody said NUFFINK

Posted on May 27, 2017 by

What’s the DEFINING FEATURE of a bureaucrat?They have a bureau! Or rather, a desk, cos we’re not French and thanks to Brexit no longer have to follow EU regulations on what we call our desks. The bureaucrat has a desk. … Continue reading →

Posted in command and control, me doing it, purpose, systems thinking | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

What writing this blog taught me about pull

Posted on December 16, 2014 by

There’s always been a strong tang of resigned self pity running through this blog, like the reek of faeces in a brace of grilled andouillettes. This post however should truly please the connoisseur of bleak despair. Read on, and enjoy … Continue reading →

Posted in change, command and control, me doing it, public sector, systems thinking | Tagged , ,

10 years a Policy Officer

Posted on November 17, 2014 by

This is my desk. I have sat in this, and others like it, for exactly 10 years in this organisation. My decade anniversary is today. In 2004 in the interview for this job I had to give a presentation answering “What … Continue reading →

Posted in me doing it, psychology, systems thinking | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

25 things (that just might work) about measuring the right thing

Posted on July 28, 2014 by

I’ve concocted 25 suggestions, questions, hints and tips for a colleague policy officer who has seen the systemsy light yet still faces the task that everybody else hasn’t. Here they are. One just might work. All might be complete duff. No … Continue reading →

Posted in command and control, data, me doing it, public sector, systems thinking | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

7 ways to do the Vanguard Method all wrong

Posted on June 12, 2014 by

Read this first. It was very popular and there’s marbles in it. If you’re too lazy here’s a summary: I went to the executive leadership team, I talked to them about something that started with studying demand and eventually led to huge … Continue reading →

Posted in me doing it, systems thinking, vanguard method | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

How to break the first rule of systems thinking

Posted on June 3, 2014 by

The problem with having to go into a room to speak about systems thinking is The First Rule. You know, the first rule… 3 months ago I had to go into the senior leadership team meeting to say what had … Continue reading →

Posted in communication, me doing it, systems thinking in housing benefits, vanguard method | Tagged , | 31 Comments

Kanban dos and don’ts

Posted on March 10, 2014 by

An Infographic I did for my team when we introduced a kanban for team work. Not necessarily correctly, or usefully, but there it is anyway blocking my view out the window. Any mistakes or errors of understanding or communication, all … Continue reading →

Posted in knowledge, me doing it, tools | Tagged , , | 8 Comments